Fishing at Lac Desvaux, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec

• Overview

  Out in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, sits Lac Desvaux. This is pine and birch country. Surface area runs to roughly 1.68 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. It ranks high for size among our Abitibi-Témiscamingue listings. Start from Rouyn-Noranda, 24 km down the road. It is 226 km to Greater Sudbury, the nearest city. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac Desvaux

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Abitibi-Témiscamingue records list northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and brown bullhead among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Lac Desvaux gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 17°C for July and -16°C for January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Lac Desvaux rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. The nearest marina is Pourvoirie J S Lac Kanasuta, some 840 m out. Fishing from a pier is possible 750 m away. You can camp 910 m off, which suits an early start. A toilet block sits 880 m away. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Lac Berthemet, 1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat access at Lac Desvaux as something to verify.